Cry of the Crows
by Star Rhapsody
Summary: [SessRin]Crows are sometimes affiliated as bad omens. [Dark] It was just a stroke of pure bad luck. Really.


**AN: **I really don't know why I am so hard on this pairing, even though I love it to bits. Am I just a mean, horrible, dark person? Maybe. I got inspired for this after hearing several crows in my yard one morning. It was sort of odd since that rarely happens…So I thought I'd write about that.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Inuyasha.

**Cry of the Crows**

For as long as he had known, the human child had followed him around since Tenseiga first brought her back to the world of the living. Every where he went, there she was like a tiny shadow. At first he was irritated, angry—but it eventually gave way to indifference. As long as she didn't try to get in his way, he was alright.

But that was only when she was a mere child.

Once age began to bear its mark on her, things changed. He could sense things from her body that he probably shouldn't have paid any attention to. His mind was revolted by the idea, but his instincts were peaked with interest. Yet she was far too innocent to even consider.

Sometimes it was almost aggravating at how naïve she could be. Her brown eyes were always filled with constant endearment and gratitude…Something he didn't feel he deserved.

It was a quiet summer night when they were gathered in a room with only the light of a few candles. Her hair was twisted into a loose bun, while he sat before her, elegant as ever. Rin could see his golden orbs like wildfire in the blackest of nights.

The sudden caw of a crow erupted into the night, breaking Rin from her thoughts.

"Sesshoumaru-sama...Did you hear that?" She inquired.

Sesshoumaru merely nodded, vaguely remembering a certain sort of omen that followed the crows. They weren't creatures to admire, that much he knew. Death was the only thing surrounding their bodies. A quick smirk highlighted his features, though only for a split second. The irony of it all…The way his thoughts were leading him, it was no wonder that the crows would show up.

He remembered the day his father died…Crows flocked to the area, cawing uproariously, their beady eyes filled with malevolence. However he had killed them all with a single slash of his whip, too angered to deal with them. It irked him at how even when they laid on the ground before him, torn into tiny pieces, their caws still filled his head.

"Sesshoumaru-sama…I remember hearing something about crows once." She smiled slightly, as if she were actually reliving the moment. "They carry ill-will." Her body shuddered involuntarily at the mere thought. Come to think of it, Sesshoumaru did remember a crow perched on a tree, watching him intently as he swiped Tenseiga through the small girl's body. Funny how it didn't make a single noise…Rather, it just watched him intently.

"Bad omens, they call them." He supplied.

"Yes, bad omens. I wonder what they could possibly be warning us about." She glanced out the window, her eyes reflecting the fact that she was in deep thought.

"Do not trouble yourself over it," he whispered softly, in a firm, demanding sort of tone.

Rin nodded hastily before rising to her feet to exit the room. She stopped at the doorway, her hand resting against the doorframe. "Sesshoumaru-sama?" She turned a little to face him. He merely flickered his glance in her direction, signaling for her to go on. "I'm just so happy…To be with you." She smiled gently before leaving.

Sesshoumaru raised a brow, though not in surprise from her words. He had known the moment she had returned from the brink of death she'd be forever convinced she was in debt to him. It was at that moment that he knew he could not keep her forever. In his mind, he knew she would not be pleased in going to a village, nor would she be pleased in him rejecting her…So he could only think of one thing to solve the matter at hand.

"Yes, Rin…What could those crows be warning us about…?"

--

It was early morning, and Rin and Sesshoumaru were out in the gardens, as usual. Rin loved to breathe in the morning air, saying it made her feel more appreciative of life and free. Sesshoumaru never urged such actions, nor did he scold her for it. He chose to watch her, taking extra notice of her movements. It was amazing how fluid-like her motions were, despite the fact that she was a mere human.

He fingered the hilt of Tenseiga thoughtfully, letting his claws scrape against the cool metal. "Rin." The simple command had all her actions halted as she met eye contact with him.

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama?" She answered, a sweet smile on her face.

"What would you think if you were to die today?" He asked in a blunt sort of manner.

Rin closed and opened her mouth, putting a finger to her chin. She tried to think of an appropriate response, wondering where he could be leading with this. To him, human life was fragile…So perhaps he was curious. It was a logical guess on her part, though she quickly dismissed the thought.

"I don't know honestly." She admitted, picking up a small flower. "I guess I'd die without regrets." She smiled slightly at this. "I'd like to think I lived my life to the best I could've."

Sesshoumaru nodded slightly, before returning his attention to Tenseiga. No regrets, she had said. He could only hope that guilt would not fester within his conscious once the deed had been done. As a youkai of his standards, he couldn't be faced with the possibility of guilt…For a human girl nonetheless.

The sudden cries of crows filled the air, startling Rin. "This early in the morning?" She whispered, not familiar with their presence this early in the day…Rather, not familiar with their presence in general.

"How quaint," Sesshoumaru drawled, though it was spoken so softly that only he could hear it. Or perhaps the cries of the crows filled the air far too noisily. Suddenly, Rin turned to look at him.

"I'm to die, aren't I?" She asked, though it really wasn't much of a question. She had this sort of gut-feeling since last night. It wasn't often she heard crows…Much less seen them in pure daylight, cawing like that. In fact, the only times she had ever seen them was when death had befallen people she knew and loved.

Sesshoumaru gazed at her, eyes hardened into stone. He couldn't bring himself to care, no matter how much his mind would goad him to, as if searching for that invisible conscious.

"At least let me know what it's like to be in your arms again…" She whispered, remembering waking up from the brink of death, only to be nestled in his arms.

She walked over to him, gently slipping her arms around him, pressing the side of her cheek into his furry boa. A small smile graced her lips as the soft fur grazed her skin. It felt pure and heavenly. Without warning, she looked up and pressed her lips against his. Mild surprise was in his eyes, but he quickly wrapped his arms around her small frame, digging his claws into the skin of her back.

She winced, but let her lips hold onto his. He could feel the passion dissipating from the kiss as her body slowly went limp in his. It was the last gift he could grant her…A small sort of parting gift for her to carry on into the next life.

Oddly enough, Tenseiga didn't pulse with the desire to heal her and save her. Sesshoumaru stared at the crimson liquid trailing down his fingers, dripping onto the lush grass below him. Her body was on the ground, lifeless. However, he didn't feel sadness for her…She had lived her life to a point where she felt the most fulfilled.

He turned to walk away, already hearing the several pitiful cries of the crows as they circled her still body.

"Good riddance…" He muttered softly.


End file.
